Guide track for a stairway elevator

ABSTRACT

A guide track for the roller-mounted carriage of a stairway elevator composed of a plurality of identically formed endadjoining, channel-shaped track sections formed on their outer side and base walls with longitudinally coextensive, undercut grooves in each of which is positioned an adjustable connector bar or key for joining or splicing the relatively abutting ends of the track sections in exacting axial alignment without resort to the formation of bolt-receiving openings in the track sections, and wherein said track sections are so constructed as to define therein at least three, relatively spaced, longitudinally extending roller guideways adapted to receive the rollers of a longitudinally moveable elevator carriage and to support such carriage for longitudinal rolling movement along said track sections while preventing any substantial lateral or vertical displacement of the carriage in the track sections.

Vice

GUIDE TRACK FOR A STAlRWAY ELEVATOR [76] Inventor: Robert M. Vice, 907 Ellsworth Ave.,

Columbus, Ohio 43206 [22] Filed: Nov. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 306,387

[52] U.S. Cl. 104/247, 238/243 [51] Int. Cl E0lb 2/00 [58] Field of Search 238/10, 1, 258, 243; 191/22, 33, 29, 45, 23 R; 104/138, 247, 139

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,165,898 12/1915 Peck 104/139 2,086,795 7/1937 Frank t 191/23 R 2,904,621 /1959 Grier 191/23 R 3,480,210 11/1969 Perrinjaquet 238/10 E Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, .lr. Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William S. Rambo 1 1 June 4, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A guide track for the roller-mounted carriage of a stairway elevator composed of a plurality of identi cally formed end-adjoining, channel-shaped track sec tions formed on their outer side and base walls with longitudinally coextensive, undercut grooves in each of which is positioned an adjustable connector bar or key for joining or splicing the relatively abutting ends of the track sections in exacting axial alignment without resort to the formation of bolt-receiving openings in the track sections, and wherein said track sections are so constructed as to define therein at least three. relatively spaced, longitudinally extending roller guideways adapted to receive the rollers of a longitudinally moveable elevator carriage and to support such carriage for longitudinal rolling movement along said track sections while preventing any substantial lateral or vertical displacement of the carriage in the track sections.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to inclined stairway elevators or invalid lifts and more particularly to an im proved guide track for the roller-mounted carriage of a stairway elevator.

ln the past, stairway-installed elevators or invalid lifts have generally included a cable-drawn carriage upon which a person may sit or stand to ascend or descend a flight of stairs without substantial physical exertion. The carriages of such elevators usually include a system of wheels or rollers which support the carriage for longitudinal movement along an inclined guide track or rail system stationarily mounted on the steps or a vertical side wall of the stairway or staircase. One of the principal objections to prior art stairway elevators stems from the difficulty and expense attendant to the installation of the guide track or rails. In this regard, it will be understood that the elevator guide tracks or rails must be custom-fitted or tailored according to the length and configuration of the particular stairway or staircase in which the elevator is installed, and since such elevators or invalid lifts are often installed on a temporary or periodic lease or rental basis, it is highly desirable that the guide track or rail system be constructed in sections which'permit their disassembly, transportation, reinstallation and use in another stairway of dissimilar length and configuration.

Thus, stairway elevator guide tracks or rails are usually made up ofa plurality of comparatively long length sections which may be bolted or otherwise detachably conneted at their adjoining ends to form a continuous carriage guideway conforming in length to that of a given stairway. Ordinarily, the relatively adjoining ends of the track or rail sections are joined together by means of connector or splice plates which span the joint between the adjoining ends of the sections and which are bolted or fastened by screws to the outer side surfaces of the respective sections. The use of such connector or splice plates requires the formation of relatively accurately located tapped openings or boltreceiving holes in the end portions of the adjoining track sections to prevent the misalignment of the track sections and/or the presence of undesired bumps or gaps at the joints between the track sections. Thus, unless particular pains are taken to accurately locate such connector or splice plates and the bolt-receiving openings-formed in the adjoining end portions of the track sections, the track sections will be misaligned or improperly spaced at their joints with the result that the wheel or roller-supporting surfaces of the track will be rough and uneven, thus causing the wheel or rollermounted carriage to jolt or bounce as it passes longitudinally along the guide track or rail.

Furthermore, in installations where the guide track extends at an inclined angle above a horizontal landing, either at one end of or at an intermediate portion of the track, it is necessary to provide one or more supporting pedestals or legs to support the elevated portion of the guide track, and the application and proper location of such supporting legs presents yet another tedious and time-consuming operation in the overall installation of the stairway elevator.

Also, it is often desirable, if not necessary, to cut one or more of the end sections of the elevator guide track so as to conform the overall length of the track to the length dimensionof the particular stairway and to place the ends of the guide track at 'the desired elevation above the horizontal landings ateach end of the stairway. Where the guide track is formed from wood or a composite of wood and metal and/or fiberboard, the

transverse cutting or shortening of the track must be done with extreme care so as not to splinter or otherwise mar the finish of the track at the cut end thereof, otherwise it becomes necessary to install an end cap or other decorative trim to hide the unsightly appearance of the cut end of the guide track. Thus, the installation of prior art stairway elevator guide tracks is both tedious and time-consuming and represents a sizable proportion of the overall costs of such elevators.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved guide track for stairway elevators which eliminates the aforesaid problems and difficulties attendant to prior'art stairway elevator guide tracks. The present guide track comprises a plurality of relatively short length, easily handled guide track sections of identical, channelshaped configuration which are so constructed as to be easily and quickly connected in exacting end-to-end alignment by means of wedge shaped connector bars or keys adjustably carried in cooperative undercut or dove-tailed grooves or recesses formed in the outer sides and base of the track sections without drilling, tapping or otherwise forming any bolt or fastenerreceiving holes or openings in the track sectionsfWhen so connected, the track sections define an elongated guide track of comparatively low, channel-shaped profile which is constructed to receive and rollingly contain therein the supporting wheels or rollers of the moveable elevator carriage while preventing any substantial amount of laterial or vertical movement of the elevator carriage during longitudinal movement thereof over the assembled guide track. Toward this end, the guide track defines within the channel thereof a pair of side roller guideways to receive the lateral or side rollers of the carriage, and a central roller guideway to receive and guide a vertically mounted roller which depends from the central portion of the elevator carriage and which stabilizesthe carriage against undesired lateral displacement in the guide track. r

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved guide track for stairway elevators which may be readily and easily assembled with minimal time and labor and which functions to smoothly guide the roller-mounted carriage of the elevator for longitudinal movement over the guide track while preventing substantial lateral and vertical displacement thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stairway elevator guide track composed of a plurality of relatively light-weight, short length, extruded metal track sections which may be cut to desired length to fit a given stairway or staircase, and wherein the adjoining sections of the track may be conveniently and accurately joined in end-to-end relation by means of wedgetype connector bars or keys operating in undercut slots or grooves formed in the outer base and side wall surfaces of the track sections.

Yet another object is to provide a stairway elevator guide track which may be quickly and easily adapted or tailored to fit a given location by simply sawing or cutting transversely through one of the sections of the overall track, using a common miter box and power or hand saw, and then removing any residual burs with a file or rasp which procedures require but a fraction of the time and labor previously required to prepare prior art guide tracks for installation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stairway elevator guide track made up of sections which may be easily disassembled and removed from one stairway location and then reassembled for use in a different stairway location with a minimum amount of labor and without discarding or structurally modifying a major portion of the track.

Yet another object is to provide a stairway elevator track which may be mounted either on the stair crests, or the side walls of a staircase, and which is so constructed as to provide for the attachment thereto of supporting legs or brackets or other accessories without drilling or tapping of the track sections.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1 and showing in broken lines certain of the frame and support rollers of an associated elevator carriage; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the ad joining end portions of a pair of track sections with a connector bar attached thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION:

With reference to the drawings, it will be seen that the elevator guide track comprises a plurality of relatively adjoining, longitudinally aligned track sections a and 10!) which are arranged to receive and guide the wheel or rollervmounted carriage frame 11 (see broken lines FIG. 3) of the elevator for longitudinal traverse over the guide track. While only two relatively adjoining track sections 10a and 10b are illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that the overall guide track will comprise as many of such sections as is necessary to meet the length requirements of the particular stairway or staircase in which the elevator is to be installed.

The track sections 10a and 10!) are identical in crosssectional configuration and each section is preferably composed of an extruded, generally channel-shaped body of integral, one-piece construction which includes a relatively flat base wall 12; a pair of relatively opposed side walls 13 and 14 integrally formed with the side edges of the base wall in prependicular relation thereto; a pair of inturned retaining flanges or lips 15 and 16 formed integral with the side walls 13 and 14 and disposed in substantially parallel, relatively spaced relation to the base wall 12; and a pair of central, roller guide rails 17 and 18 formed integral with the base wall 12 and projecting prependicularly outwardly from the intermediate central portion of the inner surface of the base wall. Additionally, the base wall 12 and each of the side walls 13 and 14 are formed on their outer surfaces with longitudinally coextensive, undercut grooves or channels 19, 20 and 21.

The undercut grooves or channels 19, 20 and 21 preferably possess a dove-tailed cross-sectional configuration, and are arranged to adjustably receive and retain therein a plurality of connector bars or splice plates 22 of cooperative cross-section. The connector bars or plates 22 are each formed with transversely spaced rows of longitudinally spaced apart, screwthreaded openings 23 and 24 which extend completely through the connector bar or plate, and which receive therein cooperatively sized set screws 25 and 26. The outer rows of openings 23 and set screws 25 are preferably of smaller diameter than the central row of openings 24 and set screws 26, since the set screws 25 function primarily as balancing or aligning screws, while the heavier or larger diameter screws 26 function to transmit primary wedging forces between the connector bars 22 and the adjacent walls of the track sections, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. Each of the set screws 25 and 26 is preferably of the type having a recessed, multi-angular wrench-receiving socket 27 formed in the outer end thereof and adapted to be turned by means of a cooperatively sized Allen wrench, not shown.

As shown particularly in FIG. 3, the connector bars 22 have a cross-sectional shape complementary to that of the dove-tailed grooves or channels 19, 20 and 2], but have a thickness slightly less than the depth of the grooves 19, 20 and 21, so that by tightening the set screws 25 and 26, the beveled edges 28 of the bars 22 may be drawn into tight, wedging engagement with the adjacent beveled surfaces 29 of the track sections. Thus, a connector bar or plate 22 may be positioned in each of the grooves 19, 20 and 21 of the track sections 10a and 10b in spanning relation to the joint 30 formed between the adjoining ends of such sections, and by properly tightening the set screws 25 and 26, the connector bars will function to securely lock and accurately align the corresponding adjacent surfaces of the two track sections against accidental separation or relative movement. Also, the connector bars or plates 22, in shorter lengths, may .be employed as a convenient means to attach or mount supporting legs, brackets or other elevator accessories at convenient positions along the lengths of the adjoined track sections. Thus, additional connector bars or plates 22 may be positioned in the grooves 19, 20 and/or 21 and adjusted to any convenient location along the length of the track section to provide a means for anchoring or attaching support legs, brackets or other accessory items to the outer surfaces of the track sections without actually drilling or tapping into the track sections themselves.

As will be understood, the individual sections 10a and 10b of the guide track may be of equal or unequal lengths depending upon the particular elevator installation in which they are used. Preferably, however, for convenience of manufacture, handling and installation, the guide track sections are fabricated in relatively short (e. g., 5 feet) equal length, extruded sections, one or more of which may be cut to desired length at the installation site so as to provide the desired overall length of elevator guide track.

Following determination of the number and length dimensions of the sections required for a particular installation, the individual track sections a, 10b, etc., are sequentially joined in end-to-end alignment by means of the connector bars 22. When so joined, the inner surfaces of the base walls 12, side walls 13 and 14 and retaining flanges 15 and 16 define along the inner sides of the assembled track a pair of longitudinally extending lateral or side roller guideways 32 and 33 to receive and rollingly confine the vertically arranged support rollers or wheels 34 of the elevator carriage 11 (see FIG. 3). Similarly, the outwardly projecting, central guide rails 17 and 18 of the track sections define a continuous central guideway 35 to rollingly receive and confine the horizontally arranged, lateral stabilizing roller 36 of the elevator carriage 11 to prevent side sway of the carriage in its movement along the guide track.

The multiple pattern of set screws 25 and 26 carried by each connector plate or bar 22 not only assures proper connection of the bar with the adjoining ends of a pair of track sections, but also provides a convenient and efficient means to insure exacting alignment of the adjoining surfaces of the pair of track sections. Toward this end, the set screws 25 of the outermost rows of set screws may be variously tightened or loosened so as to apply either balanced or unbalanced warping or bending forces to the adjacent surfaces of the track sections to insure alignment between the adjacent surfaces of the adjoining track sections. For example, should it occur that the mating ends of an adjoining pair of track sections do not exactly align in certain areas thereof due to manufacturing tolerances or other relatively small dimensional variances, the set screws of the connector plates 22 may be variably adjusted to warp or flex the adjoining surfaces of the track sections into substantially exact alignment with one another. Thus, rough and uneven joints between the sections may be eliminated to insure smooth traverse of the elevator carriage along the entire length of the elevator guide track.

While a single preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be understood that various modifications as to details of construction and design may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A guide track for a roller-mounted elevator carriage comprising an extruded, generally channelshaped body of integral one piece construction including a relatively flat base wall, a pair of relatively opposed side walls integrally joined with said base wall along the side edges thereof and disposed in coextensive, substantially perpendicular relation to said base wall, each of said side walls including a coextensive, relatively narrow, inwardly directed retaining flange disposed in substantially parallel, relatively spaced relation to said base wall, said retaining flanges, said side walls and said base wall defining along the inner sides of said channel-shaped body a pair of opposed, longitudinally extending roller guide channels, longitudinally coextensive guide rail means formed on and projecting perpendicularly outwardly from the intermediate portion of the inner surface of said base wall in inwardly spaced relation to said side walls, each of said base wall and side walls being formed on the outer surfaces thereof with a longitudinally coextensive, undercut groove; and connector bar means adjustably carried in each of the undercut grooves of said base and side walls for connecting said channel-shaped body in end adjoining, axially aligned relation to a second, identi cally formed channel-shaped body.

2. A guide track according to claim 1, wherein the undercut grooves of said base and side walls are of dove-tailed cross-sectional configuration and said connector bar means are formed with a cooperative dovetailed cross-sectional configuration and carry set screws engageable with said side and base walls to lock said connector bar means within said grooves.

3. A guide track according to claim I, wherein said guide rail means comprise a pair of relatively spaced parallel webs extending longitudinally of said base wall anddefining within said channelshaped body a central roller guideway.

4. A guide track according to claim 1, wherein said connector bar means are slideable longitudinally within the grooves of said base and side walls to positions in which they project outwardly beyond an end of said channel-shaped body for insertion within corresponding grooves formed in a second, identically formed and relatively adjoining channel-shaped body, and wherein said connector bar means include set screws operable to fix the position of said connector bar means within said grooves. 

1. A guide track for a roller-mounted elevator carriage comprising an extruded, generally channel-shaped body of integral one piece construction including a relatively flat base wall, a pair of relatively opposed side walls integrally joined with said base wall along the side edges thereof and disposed in coextensive, substantially perpendicular relation to said base wall, each of said side walls including a coextensive, relatively narrow, inwardly directed retaining flange disposed in substantially parallel, relatively spaced relation to said base wall, said retaining flanges, said side walls and said base wall defining along the inner sides of said channel-shaped body a pair of opposed, longitudinally extending roller guide channels, longitudinally coextensive guide rail means formed on and projecting perpendicularly outwardly from the intermediate portion of the inner surface of said base wall in inwardly spaced relation to said side walls, each of said base wall and side walls being formed on the outer surfaces thereof with a longitudinally coextensive, undercut groove; and connector bar means adjustably carried in each of the undercut grooves of said base and side walls for connecting said channel-shaped body in end-adjoining, axially aligned relation to a second, identically formed channel-shaped body.
 2. A guide track according to claim 1, wherein the undercut grooves of said base and side walls are of dove-tailed cross-sectional configuration and said connector bar means are formed with a cooperative dove-tailed cross-sectional configuration and carry set screws engageable with said side and base walls to lock said connector bar means within said grooves.
 3. A guide track according to claim 1, wherein said guide rail means comprise a pair of relatively spaced parallel webs extending longitudinally of said base wall and defining within said channel-shaped body a central roller guideway.
 4. A guide track according to claim 1, wherein said connector bar means are slideable longitudinally within the grooves of said base and side walls to positions in which they project outwardly beyond an end of said channel-shaped body for insertion within corresponding grooves formed in a second, identically formed and relatively adjoining channel-shaped body, and wherein said connector bar means include set screws operable to fix the position of said connector bar means within said grooves. 